Healthcare Support Worker

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 07 May 2025

Job summary

Important: This post requires successful candidates to undergo NPPV Level 2 (full) Police Vetting of which successful clearance is essential in order to fulfil the role and as part of this vetting process the candidate is required to have been resident in the UK for at least three years.

*Previous applicants need not apply.

An opportunity has arisen within the Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services The Bay Liaison & Diversion team for the role of Support Worker based in Lancaster Police Station.

This key position of Support Worker within the established Liaison and Diversion Service for Custody suites and Magistrates Courts will be offered as a full time, substantive post.

The Liaison and Diversion service work with adults and young people in contact with the Criminal Justice system.

The Liaison and Diversion Support Worker will have the responsibility for providing quality services for vulnerable individuals in contact with Criminal Justice system under the supervision of a Liaison & Diversion practitioner. L&D is not itself a treatment service, but it is an identification, assessment and referral service offering brief intervention to support engagement.

The post holder will be responsible for supporting access to health and social care services for potentially vulnerable adults and Children and Young People in the community.

Main duties of the job

They will value experiential learning and will work with the person to identify, navigate and engage with opportunities that may improve their health, personal wellbeing, social inclusion and social functioning.

They will promote hope and optimism, working with strengths rather than deficits in working towards developing a short term plan at the point of referral; this may be within Custody or Court settings, or within the community. The plan will be based on needs identified during assessment by Liaison and Diversion Practitioner in Custody, Court or community setting. The aim of the intervention is to support and empower the individuals to reach identified goals and attend initial appointments with identified services. This will involve the individual in planning and prioritising their needs.

Pathways to care and support will be across a range of health and social care services for adults and young people, including but not limited to Housing, Drug and Alcohol Services, Mental Health and Physical Health care and other services specific for Women, Veterans, Gambling, Police, Courts, Youth Offending Services, Probation, Prisons.

About us

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT

Date posted

23 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum (subject to confirmation)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

351-SPS1393-MS-A

Job locations

The Bay Liaison & Diversion Team (Barrow, Kendal & Lancaster)

Preston Road

The Bay

LA1 1YB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Please be aware, the use ofArtificial Intelligence (AI)when submitting an application is monitored and if you have used AI to generate an application,you are required to declare this on your application form.Failure to do so, may result in your application being withdrawn.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to Level 2 NVQ or equivalent experience.
Ability to read/ write proficiently
Ability to navigate I.T. systems

Desirable

NVQ Level 3 Diploma within a relevant field e.g. health, psychology, criminology etc. (or equivalent qualification/ reflected experience).

Knowledge

Essential

Must have knowledge of the local community and have an understanding of the criminal justice system and identified vulnerabilities
Awareness of a range of vulnerabilities. An awareness of the impact of vulnerabilities on individuals.
Basic knowledge of signs and symptoms of a range of mental disorders and its effects on individuals.

Experience

Essential

Experience working with individuals with a complex range of health and social care needs.
Experience and/or sound knowledge of the Criminal Justice System.
Experience of following or supporting implementing personalised care plans or rehabilitation plans.

Skills

Essential

Ability to form rapport with individuals and groups.
A basic understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983(07).
Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times, even in challenging and complex situation.

Personal

Essential

This post requires successful candidates to undergo NPPV Level 2 (full) Police Vetting of which successful clearance is essential in order to fulfil the role. As part of this vetting process the candidate is required to have been resident in the UK for at least three years.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to Level 2 NVQ or equivalent experience.
Ability to read/ write proficiently
Ability to navigate I.T. systems

Desirable

NVQ Level 3 Diploma within a relevant field e.g. health, psychology, criminology etc. (or equivalent qualification/ reflected experience).

Knowledge

Essential

Must have knowledge of the local community and have an understanding of the criminal justice system and identified vulnerabilities
Awareness of a range of vulnerabilities. An awareness of the impact of vulnerabilities on individuals.
Basic knowledge of signs and symptoms of a range of mental disorders and its effects on individuals.

Experience

Essential

Experience working with individuals with a complex range of health and social care needs.
Experience and/or sound knowledge of the Criminal Justice System.
Experience of following or supporting implementing personalised care plans or rehabilitation plans.

Skills

Essential

Ability to form rapport with individuals and groups.
A basic understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983(07).
Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times, even in challenging and complex situation.

Personal

Essential

This post requires successful candidates to undergo NPPV Level 2 (full) Police Vetting of which successful clearance is essential in order to fulfil the role. As part of this vetting process the candidate is required to have been resident in the UK for at least three years.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.